Tumbling

I have just discovered tumblr.com and I've decided that it's kind of cool to continue blogging over there.  So I'm taking a leave from Blogger for now.

Please visit new new personal blog at http://allistersanchez.com.

I also created another blog as my journal for geeking around with the Android OS: http://android.allistersanchez.com.

So, see you there!

My own domain

Finally I decided to claim my own personal domain name: allistersanchez.com.  I'm not sure yet if I'm gonna keep using Blogger or have it hosted somewhere.  But claiming my own name should be a sane thing to do, uhmmm, right?

Switch: Don't Solve Problems -- Copy Success Instead!

I have read an excerpt of Chip Heath and Dan Heath's book "Switch".  The idea of this book is this: to effect great change, instead of trying to analyse a problem, look at "bright spots" (areas with the least problems) and figure out why they are less problematic.  This is a sort of roundabout way of how people usually address problems.

When we analyze a big, complicated problem -- like malnutrition in Vietnam, or a married couple nearing divorce, or a business on the verge of bankruptcy -- we seek a solution that befits the scale of the problem. If the problem is a round hole with a 24-inch diameter, our brains will go looking for a 24-inch peg to fill it. So, naturally, the experts on malnutrition in Vietnam wanted to talk about poverty and education and sanitation systems.

Our focus, in times of change, goes instinctively to the problems at hand. What's broken and how do we fix it? This troubleshooting mind-set serves us well -- most of the time. If you run a nuclear power plant and your diagnostics turn up a disturbing signal once per month, you should most certainly obsess about it and fix the problem. And if your child brings home a report card with five As and one F, it makes sense to freak out about the F.

But in times of change, this mind-set will backfire. If we need to make major changes, then (by definition) we don't have a near-spotless report card. A lot of things are probably wrong. The "report card" for our diet, or our marriage, or our business, is full of Cs and Ds and Fs. So if you ask yourself, What's broken and how do I fix it?, you'll simply spin your wheels. You'll spend a lot of time agonizing over issues that are TBU.

When it's time to change, we must look for bright spots -- the first signs that things are working, the first precious As and Bs on our report card. We need to ask ourselves a question that sounds simple but is, in fact, deeply unnatural: What's working and how can we do more of it?

The excerpt goes on to illustrate the various situations where this approach works well, and some cases where it might not.  After reading the excerpt, I am so looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of this book.

Have you read the book already? Please share your thoughts about it!

Getting Started on Running

I've been running on and off since last Summer (around June 2009), largely because I was alarmed that I was gaining too much weight and I felt rather heavy.  After a few months of walks and occasionally intense runs, I've managed to regain my body's flexibility and agility, and I was able to develop a bit of endurance.  The gains were actually very modest but I was very happy with the realization that I can actually do something about improving my well-being.

Then the holidays came and I took a 5-week vacation in the Philippines.  While I was there, I tried to avoid the overly-convenient public transportation, opting instead to walk/run several blocks in the city.  The hot weather took a bit of adjustment but it's the pollution and lack of safe running areas that made me realize how difficult it is to enjoy running in the country.  So, I realized that while I'm still living in Nice I should take advantage of the relatively low levels of air pollution and the length of the Promenade des Anglais.

To add weight to my resolve, I now challenge myself to be able to finish in a marathon (yes, running a 42.195 km race) within a year!

I started to read about marathon training and, boy, was I surprised!  This sport is no walk in the park!  There's so much preparation and training needed.  My boss at work is very supportive of my desire to run and was kind enough to lend me a copy of the French-language Jogging magazine's special issue on marathons, which contains various training programs for people who want to run in a marathon.  I've also read various websites concerning the appropriate shoes, clothes, and other accessories like heart rate monitors.  Proper exercises, hydration, and diet are also important to learn and understand.  It's all fascinatingly simple and complicated at the same time!

Anyway, one has to get started somewhere.  So yesterday, I bought new shirts, socks, a new pair of shoes, and a heart rate monitor.  I made a mistake buying the shoes (it was for highly-arched feet, while I have flat feet) but I had them exchanged at the same store this morning.

Finally, earlier this afternoon I decided it was time for the rubber to hit the road.  I haven't run for more than a month so it was a combination of brisk walking and slow running for about 30 mins, the main purpose being to monitor my heart rate.

The simple formula for the maximum heart rate (MHR) is 220 minus the age.  That's MHR = 188 for me.  I've read that in order to increase one's capacity for intense physical activity, one has to exercise at an intensity that increases the heart rate to 65-85% of the MHR for at least 20 mins, 3 to 5 times a week.

So today, I ran/walk averaging a heart rate of 144 bpm over 30 mins, covering a few kilometers toward the center of Nice.  After that, I stopped monitoring and walked all the way back.  I felt very comfortable at this level of intensity.  The challenge will now be how to run faster and longer at about 70-80% MHR.

How about you?  Would you like to run too?  If you're already running, please share with me your experiences.

Welcoming the New Year 2010

I'm savoring the last few days of my month-long vacation.  I'll be back in France next week and I'm spending the few remaining days with my family in the best way I can.

Overall, it's been a good vacation.  It's not easy reinserting yourself into the daily lives of your wife and kids with whom you only interact over the internet for most of the year.  But (thanks also to our frequent interactions online) we seem to have meshed well and rather quickly, as if we live in the same house together all year round.  I really hope we'll still stay as close to each other in the coming months, when we're half a world apart.

Last year, 2009, for my family was, in a way, a year of settling down.  This year, 2010, will be another year of change.  After all, this is the year of the metallic tiger, and the beast is on the prowl.  Time to shake things up.

So, my goals for this year?  Personally, I'd like to lose a lot of weight.  Professionally, I'd like to see large gains and strategic changes for the future.  For my family, I'd like us to live together soon, or at least be in a better living arrangement.  I know some of these are not very specific, but I'd rather keep some very important decisions private ;-)

I therefore look forward to the rest of 2010!  We'll make this a better year than the previous one!

Joie dans le monde

NOTE: This is the French version of the famous Christmas carol "Joy To The World".  You have more than a month to practice it before Christmas

Joie dans le monde, c’est Noël;
Voici Emmanuel!
Que chaque cœur,
Lui fasse une demeure.
Que ciel et nature chantent
Que ciel et nature chantent:
Que ciel et ciel et nature chantent.

Joie sur la terre vive le Messie!
La loi est accomplie.
Ô humblement Jésus,
Vers nous Il est venu.
Rendez gloire au Seigneur,
Rendez gloire au Seigneur,
Rendez, rendez gloire au Seigneur.

Détournez vous de vos péchés,
Les âmes sont libérées.
Par Sa grâce et naissance,
Il nous donne espérance.
Venez comme des enfants,
Venez comme des enfants,
Venez, venez comme des enfants.

Il régnera en vérité,
Et justice à jamais!
Sa victoire est totale,
Jésus vaincu le mal,
Avec Son grand amour,
Avec Son grand amour,
Avec, avec Son grand amour.

Source: NetHymnal

Gotcha 8x8!

I finally solved a 8x8 puzzle!!! Woohooo!!!

I opened it at the NY Times Kenken page last night before I went to sleep and decided to really have a crack at it this morning.  About an hour's hard work finally paid off and, boy, ain't it sweet!

Here are some snapshots I took -- precautionary measures, in case I accidentally close the browser, hahaha...